Other commitments did not allow timely updates, but here is an overview of the Gator performance. On the whole, it was a good meet for the Gators, but injuries have really hurt our chances at nationals. The two biggest disappointments and surprises were the inability of Kyra Jefferson to qualify for the 200 and Andres Arroyo to fail to qualify for the 800. Jefferson came into the year as the favorite in the 200m, but injuries late in the season hurt. Although Sanders qualified in the 100, she is still below her top times because of lingering injuries. Arroyo is inexplicable. He has always been inconsistent. For the men, Ryan Clark qualified in the 100m, but quite frankly he is unlikely to place at nationals; he narrowly missed qualifying in the 200m, which is loaded this year. When you have two sprinters run under 20 seconds at regionals, you have serious competition. Still, Clark did not run as fast as he did in HS. The 400 was a great success with Hall, Glass and Kunle Fasisi qualifying for nationals, but both Hall and Glass are still running more than half a second slower than their best times - again injuries are lingering. Hugh Graham has a best of 45.29 in the 400m, which would definitely place at nationals, but his injuries prevent him from seriously competing for an individual awards, but he is still an important runner for both relays. UF did qualify in both the 4x100 and 4x400. They need to improve significantly in the 4x100 to score, but they ran their best time of the season in the 4x400 yesterday, winning their heat and just a nose slower than LSU, who has the best time in the country. If the 3 seniors get healthier in the next week, they should win (although LSU is really, really impressive). Alas, that is unlikely to happen. They still have a great shot, but when 3 of your runners are less than 100%, it is tough. Yanick Hart ran his all best time in the 110H and qualified with a 13.54 - that may be good enough to place in the top 8, but near the bottom. The event in which UF could score big points is the 400IH with Futch and Holmes placing 1st and 3rd, with times that could be good enough to finish in the same places nationally. Surprisingly, Aird also qualified for nationals, although he would have to have the race of his life to place. Bates had a decent meet, qualifying in both the LJ and TJ, but his long jump was under 25', which is not a good sign. However, he had one of his best jumps in the triple jump and could conceivably place in the TJ; he should place high in the LJ if he jumps his best. Finally, Anders Eriksson qualified in the hammer throw and has the 3rd or 4th best thrown in the nation, although yesterday he threw well below his best mark and placed lower than expected. Nevertheless, it would be surprising if he does not place at nationals.
The women are going to be hard placed to finish in the top 10. They qualified as many as the men, indeed I think they may have qualified more. But none of them are likely to finish in the top 4 or even at all except are javelin thrower. Again, injuries have hurt them. Sanders qualified in the 100, but will not place if she does not run better at nationals. Robin Reynolds had an excellent time in the preliminaries, but then slower in the finals, again making her border line to place. Claudia Francis ran a career best in the 400 IH, but again she is likely to finish in the bottom half of the top 8 at nationals. Taylor Tubbs surprised by qualifying easily in the 5000, but I think the best teams are all West (Stanford, Oregon, Colorado, Arkansas, Washington, Wisconsin, etc, so it would be a huge achievement for her to place in the 5000. Yanis David qualified in both the LJ and TJ, the latter being her best event. She could place in the TJ, but doubtful in the LJ. McQueen also qualified in the LJ, but missed out in the TJ. The throwers did very well, with one huge surprise. Soph Jontavia Dykes qualified in the discus with by far her best throw ever, but again unlikely to place nationally. Soph Cameron placed 4th in the shot put and may have a chance to score some points nationally - I think she was the one people expected to qualify in the discus throw, but she placed only 16th. Marija Vucenovic won the javelin, but well below her best throws. Nevertheless, she probably has the best shot of placing in the top 4. Jayla Bostic also qualified for nationals in the hammer throw, but she was 9th in this region, thus unlikely to score top 8 at nationals. Skylar Ross Ransom ran her best time ever in the 100m H, but just missed qualifying for nationals.
In short, injuries really hurt this team. Reynolds, Francis and Bostic are the only seniors on the women's side, so a healthy team next year will be back in the hunt. Plus, they add the best incoming hurdler out of Virginia next year, plus a really good distance runner from Ireland who will make an immediate impact, but another good hurdler out of Miami Northwestern (Mitchell) who is among the best nationally. And Mouse always seems to sign other foreign athletes over the summer.
As for the men, we lose Hall, Glass and Graham, which are big losses, but the fact is that all 3 have been less than 100%. The men have the greatest class I have ever seen, with elite athletes in the Lyles brothers (Noah breaking long standing records in the 200m indoors and outdoors), Holloway (who broke long standing record indoor in the 60mH and the 3rd best jump in the LJ) and a high jumper/triple jumper who could immediately score nationally. They add several other good 800m runners, but what makes the Lyles brothers and Holloway so great is that they run from 60m up to 500m, with top times in the nation. They will give UF, with Ryan Clark, perhaps the best 4x100 relay, and with Fasisi and Futch, among the best 4x400 relay team. Track is fickle, and injuries can ruin a season, but the Gators will have much more depth next season. They also add an excellent shot putter and discus thrower. He may not score his first season, but down the road he will be competitive nationally. Where we are weak is in distance for the men. Unless he signs a couple foreigners, they will be really low in the SEC. The women always sign lots of foreigners, but not so much for the men in the distances. Men's cross country could have a rough season, while the women will be much, much better. But in track, the men will be among the favorites, although A&M and LSU are really strong, particularly A&M.
The women are going to be hard placed to finish in the top 10. They qualified as many as the men, indeed I think they may have qualified more. But none of them are likely to finish in the top 4 or even at all except are javelin thrower. Again, injuries have hurt them. Sanders qualified in the 100, but will not place if she does not run better at nationals. Robin Reynolds had an excellent time in the preliminaries, but then slower in the finals, again making her border line to place. Claudia Francis ran a career best in the 400 IH, but again she is likely to finish in the bottom half of the top 8 at nationals. Taylor Tubbs surprised by qualifying easily in the 5000, but I think the best teams are all West (Stanford, Oregon, Colorado, Arkansas, Washington, Wisconsin, etc, so it would be a huge achievement for her to place in the 5000. Yanis David qualified in both the LJ and TJ, the latter being her best event. She could place in the TJ, but doubtful in the LJ. McQueen also qualified in the LJ, but missed out in the TJ. The throwers did very well, with one huge surprise. Soph Jontavia Dykes qualified in the discus with by far her best throw ever, but again unlikely to place nationally. Soph Cameron placed 4th in the shot put and may have a chance to score some points nationally - I think she was the one people expected to qualify in the discus throw, but she placed only 16th. Marija Vucenovic won the javelin, but well below her best throws. Nevertheless, she probably has the best shot of placing in the top 4. Jayla Bostic also qualified for nationals in the hammer throw, but she was 9th in this region, thus unlikely to score top 8 at nationals. Skylar Ross Ransom ran her best time ever in the 100m H, but just missed qualifying for nationals.
In short, injuries really hurt this team. Reynolds, Francis and Bostic are the only seniors on the women's side, so a healthy team next year will be back in the hunt. Plus, they add the best incoming hurdler out of Virginia next year, plus a really good distance runner from Ireland who will make an immediate impact, but another good hurdler out of Miami Northwestern (Mitchell) who is among the best nationally. And Mouse always seems to sign other foreign athletes over the summer.
As for the men, we lose Hall, Glass and Graham, which are big losses, but the fact is that all 3 have been less than 100%. The men have the greatest class I have ever seen, with elite athletes in the Lyles brothers (Noah breaking long standing records in the 200m indoors and outdoors), Holloway (who broke long standing record indoor in the 60mH and the 3rd best jump in the LJ) and a high jumper/triple jumper who could immediately score nationally. They add several other good 800m runners, but what makes the Lyles brothers and Holloway so great is that they run from 60m up to 500m, with top times in the nation. They will give UF, with Ryan Clark, perhaps the best 4x100 relay, and with Fasisi and Futch, among the best 4x400 relay team. Track is fickle, and injuries can ruin a season, but the Gators will have much more depth next season. They also add an excellent shot putter and discus thrower. He may not score his first season, but down the road he will be competitive nationally. Where we are weak is in distance for the men. Unless he signs a couple foreigners, they will be really low in the SEC. The women always sign lots of foreigners, but not so much for the men in the distances. Men's cross country could have a rough season, while the women will be much, much better. But in track, the men will be among the favorites, although A&M and LSU are really strong, particularly A&M.
